EastEnders airs worrying Amy Mitchell and Craig Ingram scenes in early BBC iPlayer release

No idea she's being groomed, Amy Mitchell (Ellie Dadd) has fallen further into predator Craig Ingram's (Matthew James-Bailey) trap in EastEnders.

The two have grown closer amid her step-mum Denise Fox's (Diane Parish) acute myeloid leukaemia battle, after she confided in him about her struggles.

He also became privy to the fact that she attacked Joel Marshall (Max Murray), and made the decision to put his career at risk to protect her. A number of weeks ago, we discovered that Craig had been suspended from his job at Walford Police Station due to a previous complaint that had been lodged against him.

Yesterday, after discussing her prospective new relationship with Craig with Denise, Amy went to meet him in the park. The two chatted over an ice cream, and he invited her to his house for wine - suggesting that it could lead elsewhere.

In today's episode, in a format-twisting scene that was recorded from Denise's POV, she stumbled through the square and fell into Denzel Danes' (Jaden Ladega) arms. He guided her home and Amy was grateful that he'd helped her.

He suggested going to Davinder "Nugget" Gulati's (Juhaim Rasul Choudhury) birthday together, to which she said she'd have to cancel her other plans first.

However, things took a sour turn when she had an emotional argument with Denise. She accused her mother figure of shutting her out, and said that their relationship had drastically changed following her cancer diagnosis.

Amy said that she couldn't talk to her anymore, as she was always sleeping or in hospital. Denise tearfully announced that she'd reached "the end of the road", and that she wasn't going to continue treatment because half-brother Darnell Larson (Christopher Colquhoun) wasn't a stem cell match.

Storming out into the street, Amy then had a row with Avani Nandra-Hart (Aaliyah James). The two were once best friends prior to her sleeping with Denzel.

Meanwhile, at the police station, Craig was being guided out of the door with his belongings in his hand. He'd lost his job.

Amy asked if they could meet up, and urged him to open up about what had happened. Little did she realise, her dad Jack Branning (Scott Maslen) and his colleague Callum Highway (Tony Clay) also had questions.

Walking through the market, they branded Craig "suss", saying that he'd been let go due to gross misconduct. He had told a junior officer that he'd help "further her career" if they hooked up.

Craig gave his own version of the story. He said that the police knew he was withholding evidence, and despite Amy's pleas to hand herself in, he said that he wanted to protect her. Craig then announced his plans to either go travelling or move to the North.

Amy didn't want to lose him, and after sharing a kiss, headed back to his flat.

Denise tried contacting her, though Amy didn't answer her phone. She'd bought her step-daughter a teddy bear, and cradled it in her arms until her return.

Craig poured Amy a glass of wine and said that it was about time she focussed on herself and what she wanted. She said that all she wanted was to be in love, and to be loved back.

The two reaffirmed their desire for a relationship, and as she gazed at Craig's bed, he began kissing her neck.

Read more:

• EastEnders legend Jo Joyner returns to Walford set for Branning 'family reunion' - 8 years after last Tanya appearance
• EastEnders star teases "fire and carnage" when Penny Branning's baby paternity secret is revealed
• EastEnders favourite Balvinder Sopal teases Ash return is "grenade" to the Panesar family unit this autumn
• EastEnders announces hard-hitting Amy Mitchell storyline as BBC soap works with charities

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